Tasmanian doctors have voiced their "disappointment" with last week's Bass debate between the two major parties, saying both candidates failed to provide "specific answers" on how they would fix the state's primary healthcare services.
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The second question asked at Thursday's federal election debate between Bass Liberal MHR Bridget Archer and Labor's candidate Ross Hart asked if either party would commit to providing longer consultation times under Medicare so GPs could treat more complex conditions.
Ms Archer said she was aware of the issues impacting the state, identifying workforce as a key area that had bipartisan support, but did not offer any solutions or commitments. She said it was clear more work needed to be done.
Likewise, Mr Hart did not commit to the increase, saying the issues facing the health care sector were more complex than increasing consultation times.
He said the urgent care clinics proposed by Labor would help lessen the burden, and was "sure" Anthony Albanese and Mark Butler would be willing to discuss the issue further.
The request to increase consultation times for general practitioners was put forward by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, who said the change would provide better patient outcomes, fairly remunerate doctors and make general practice more attractive to younger doctors.
RACGP Tasmania chairman Dr Tim Jackson said it was disappointing that a need identified by the college - that would improve general practice - was overlooked.
"That's disappointing because that's part of the resource we need to be able to look after elderly people, people with chronic disease and mental health that do take longer consultations," he said.
He said while Labor's after-hour clinics would support people in need of immediate acute care, they were not the preventative fix the state needed.
Newstead Medical Practice partner Dr Toby Gardner who also operates his practice's urgent care centre said he did not get the answers he was seeking from the debate.
"I must say there weren't a lot of specific answers to any of the things that the college has been asking for," he said.
Despite a lack of specificity in the debate, both doctors said Labor's $970 million pledge to improve Medicare and access to GPs has been the most significant health commitment to come out of the election.
Conversely, Dr Gardner said the Liberals had failed to make any meaningful health commitments during the campaign.
"We haven't really heard much from the federal Liberals about fixing primary care - we're still waiting," he said.
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